Injuries helped derail Canal Winchester

The Canal Winchester High School football team qualified for the playoffs five of the past six years but fell on hard times this season.

AARON BLANKENSHIP, ThisWeek Community News

The Canal Winchester High School football team qualified for the playoffs five of the past six years but fell on hard times this season.

The Indians failed to win a game, finishing 0-10 overall and 0-7 in their first season in the OCC-Cardinal Division while being outscored 402-116. It marks their first losing season since 2006, when they went 2-8.

Last year, Canal Winchester finished 9-3 overall, advanced to a Division II, Region 7 semifinal and won the MSL-Buckeye title at 7-0. It had no fewer than seven wins each of its past six seasons.

"I've never been through a season like this in all of my years as a player and coach," said coach Shawn Hinkle, who completed his third season leading the program after serving as an assistant for seven years. "It was definitely a learning experience."

A portent of what lied ahead for Canal Winchester came in the first quarter of its 41-6 home loss to Olentangy on Aug. 30, as senior quarterback Zach Bontempo suffered a season-ending broken collarbone.

"I really like our chances of winning our second game of the season against Delaware (a 23-7 loss Sept. 6 at home) if Zach Bontempo was healthy and, if we won that game to gain some confidence, who knows how much better we could have been?" Hinkle said.

Three other key players missed significant time with shoulder injuries. Freshman linebacker Alonzo Booth missed the final seven games, junior linebacker and punter Elante Moore missed the final four games and junior wide receiver and linebacker Skyler Scott was sidelined for the final three games.

Five of Canal Winchester's 10 opponents finished with a winning record, three finished with a .500 record and two finished with a losing mark. The Indians lost to Dublin Jerome 30-13 on Oct. 18 on the road and lost to Westerville North 30-28 on Oct. 25 at home.

Sophomore running back Mike Dean and junior running back Lamont Martin also are expected back.

Hammond was 65-for-127 passing for 790 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions and Scott had 19 catches for 376 yards and five touchdowns and was named honorable mention all-league.

Dean rushed for 247 yards and a touchdown on 49 carries and Martin ran for 211 yards and a score on 62 carries.

"Nick matured as the season went on and next season will be the first time in five years that we've had a returning starter at quarterback," Hinkle said. "We've got some experienced running backs returning, too, so we've got to get better on our offensive line."

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
ThisWeek Community News ~ 5300 Crosswind Drive, Columbus, OH 43228 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service